


A Pair of Gorgeous Eyes

by 8ami



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Deaf Clint Barton, Get together fic, I'm Sorry, It's kinda fluffy?, M/M, Steve and Nat are helpful, i don't know how to tag, this is my first fic here, winterhawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 15:17:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9767744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8ami/pseuds/8ami
Summary: Prompt: “I’m a barista and you’re an obnoxious customer who comes through and orders a venti macchiato while talking on the phone the whole time so I misspell your name in increasingly creative ways every day.” The customer gets back at them by mispronouncing the barista’s name in increasingly horrible ways.Include: “This is a lot harder than it looks and I don’t think you realize that.” “His clothes cost as much as my apartment..”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, so this is my first story on AO3 and for this pairing - I absolutely adore Clint Barton and Winterhawk so hopefully I do some justice by it all here. Just to clarify I don't drink coffee and have only been in a few coffee shops as a result so I have no idea why I choose to do this prompt. Shrug. I have no beta, all mistakes are mine and I suck at endings. Enjoy ~

Natasha hums in disapproval at her coworker at the coffee shop and best friend, Clint Barton, as he writes out Jimmi on the venti macchiato. Clint chooses to ignore her as he dots the i’s with hearts. No, he’s not being childish, Nat. It’s not his fault this jerk of a customer comes in everyday with the same order while obnoxiously talking on his cell phone instead of acting like some sort of decent human being for a few minutes while he orders his damn coffee. Would it kill the man to look Clint in the face once?!

He shows his masterpiece to Nat who rolls her eyes in a fashion that somehow says she’s both amused and disappointed in him. Not in his choice of behavior but in his execution of it. “If you think you can do better. Then by all means.” He waves one of his hands in a flurious while starting to fill the order. 

“And ruin your poor attempt at flirting. Not a chance.” She doesn’t laugh but there’s laughter in her voice regardless. Clint gaps at her and spins sharply to look at her. Scalding water splashes onto his hand, he curses and almost drops the customer’s drink. “Aw, no.” He shoots her a glare but before he can do anything else she’s at the register with a customer that actually meets her eyes. She gets all the good ones. 

Flirting. With that guy - with James? Hell no. Clint finds the guy sitting down at a small table near the door. Dressed like a lot of business folk that come in, expect the business suit he’s wearing actually fits, and Clint only notices the fit because it means the guy has money and he kinda sucks at leaving tips. That’s the only reason. It’s certainly not because the suit puts his ass on display whenever he’s walking out of the shop and damn is it a good ass. Not that. Definitely not that. It's the tip thing for sure. Well, okay, the man had a nice jaw and sure his hair was usually tied up in a bun but that didn’t mean Clint couldn’t imagine running his fingers through it. James was handsome - out right hot, even, but he was also a jerk that couldn’t put his fucking phone down for one second. Hell, because James wouldn’t look Clint in the face he had no idea what color his eyes even were! Not that he wanted to know. No way was he flirting with the guy; no matter what Natasha says.

Clint calls out Jimmi and then does it again before the guy on the phone pinches his brows and gets up. James crosses the shop and takes the coffee from Clint talking away on his cell. There’s an obvious scowl on the man’s face at the name on the cup but he still doesn’t look up to meet Clint’s eyes and Clint can't help but feel the triumph in his stomach die down a little. What was the guy’s problem?!

Clint curses and tries to think of the name he’s going to put on jerkface’s coffee tomorrow. He wonders if putting ‘jerkface’ will get him in trouble or not. Natasha talks him out of it later.

Over the next week, Clint works through Jimmy-Dean, Jimmy-Bean, Jameson, Jay-man, and Jimbo. He has to reuses Jimbo from a few weeks ago and Natasha judges him for it. “This is a lot harder than it looks and I don’t think you realize that, Nat.” He says to her when she arches a single eyebrow at him. James just shakes his head and the scowl get deeper at each name but he still doesn’t look up at Clint. Worse, other than the order, he also doesn’t say anything to Clint. Not a thanks or a call out on the names. Asshole.

The next Monday, jerkface comes in predictably on the phone and orders the same drink as always. Clint draws a poor excuse for a slice of pizza besides the name Jimmy John’s Pizza. James is waiting beside the counter with that stupid phone still pressed to his ear but Clint thinks the guy is watching him. Clint still can’t catch his gaze though so he’s not completely sure and James’ close position doesn’t stop Clint from calling out what he’s written on the cup. The guy grabs the cup after giving Clint the time to say the whole name which Clint guesses is nice of him. Then with a smirk says, “Thanks, Cint.”

Clint freezes; the smile on his face for his awesome drawing dropping into clear annoyance. James’ still smirking and is out the door without a look back. It’s the surprise of hearing something directed at him other than an order that’s got him short cruiting, it’s the guy’s attempt at getting back at Clint that’s got him bothered not the way that stupid smirk sent a shiver right through Clint and down south.

Nat actually laughs at him this time and he does not appreciate it.

James doesn’t let up on the pay back and the pair goes back and forth because Clint has never been one to back down. Jimmmmy - Clink. Jamie - Cleent. Jayme - Client. There’s a few times they both repeat names and once jerkface uses Clunt with a smile that says he thinks he’s clever. Nat teases him every time James leaves and even suggests asking for James’ number instead of acting like a five year old. 

Clint shakes his head when she says that, “You seem to forget that James’ suits cost more than my apartment.” He jokes but then a little more solemnly because the guy was hot and the back and forth was just Clint’s type of humor adds, “He would never be into a guy like me even for a little fun...besides, this stupid thing we got going on. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Nat’s quiet a little long and Clint thinks she’s gonna drop it for the day but she’s just dealing with another customer. He should have known she wasn’t gonna leave it. She passes Clint the order she just took to fill, “It doesn’t mean anything to him, you mean.” Clint doesn’t argue with her. It would be futile and Clint doesn’t lie to Nat if he can help it. Denying it was one thing.

The next day falls on a Saturday, Clint isn’t expecting to see jerkface - he means James. He only comes in on the weekdays as most of the business men and women do. So Clint’s a little thrown when James comes in, even more when he takes in fact that James isn’t on his phone, in plain clothes, and with someone. His friend is blond, a little taller but just as well defined. Not that Clint’s notice James in that manner. Well, okay he has but it doesn’t mean anything.

Natasha elbows him out of his stupor and he’s suddenly trying to figure out what name to put on the guy’s coffee - he thought he had until Monday to come up with a name! Not that he spends his weekend trying to come up with different ways to spell James. He has better things to do, he swears. Hell, maybe he should give James’ a pass today - he isn’t on his phone after all? Clint’s still trying to make a decision when James and his friend make it to the front of the line.

It’s the other guy that makes the orders and any idea of giving James a pass is thrown out the window. Even now the guy won’t meet his eyes, isn’t even bothering to look at Clint as he stands with his hands in his pockets looking at his friend. Clint narrows his eyes and the blond looks from Clint to James with clear amusement and a little bit of Really? but Clint isn’t sure who that’s directed at.

“Can I get your names?” Clint asks with a gruff to his voice. James’ friend just shakes his head with a laugh like this is some kind of joke before rattling off Steve and Bucky with a jerk of his thumb indicating which name belonged to who. And Clint lights up like it’s Christmas and James - Bucky - turns sharp eyes to Steve. 

“Bucky? Oh man this is great! I was running out of names for James. And Bucky, man - so many possibilities...I mean, uh, yeah, these will be right up.” Clint’s throat goes dry and his words lose their enthusiasm when James - Bucky turns his gaze on him. Full and piercing and god damn beautiful in their intensity. He's pretty sure he just forgot how to breath. And Clint ducks his gaze, trading places with Nat to fill their order, missing the coloring of Bucky’s cheeks that matches Clint’s own blush. 

Steve doesn’t though and once him and Bucky are sitting down waiting for their orders he rounds on his best friend. “Seriously, Buck, do something about this crush.” Bucky narrows his eyes at his so called best friend.

“It’s not a crush. It’s just...messing around.” Bucky tries to keep his voice low. They’ve had this conversation before. Steve’s gotten an ear full of Bucky ranting over this particular barista both on the phone and whenever Tony catches sight of Bucky’s morning coffee with whatever ridiculous name this Clint had come up with that morning. Tony has no probably joining in on the childish behavior and has taken to calling Bucky by whatever Clint has put on his coffee for the day. To say Bucky was annoyed was an understatement but he still went to the same coffee shop every morning which has lead to Steve asking not so subtlety why. Steve Rogers doesn't beat around the bush. Bucky had looked away and mumbled something about the barista being cute and funny and then a little louder about the coffee being good. And Steve being a good friend pushed the issue until he convinced Bucky to take him to the particular coffee shop that morning.

“No, come on man, at least try for a real conversation with the guy.” Steve suggests and then his eyes shift past Bucky to something behind him but before Bucky can say anything Steve adds on, “Why don’t you try now?”

Bucky screws his face in confusion right until a pair of coffees is sat down on their table and Clint is standing there. Bucky turns his cup until he can see the name scrawled on it. Buckaroo. Steve sees it too and snorts. Bucky looks up at the blond. “Really, Clintaroo?” He mocks cursing himself for not thinking of something better. And then adds, “Why didn’t you call out the order?”

There’s clear surprise on Clint’s face though Bucky isn’t completely sure why. Then, “Consider it a gift. I’m just dropping it off on my way to my break - to help Nat out. Don’t think anything of it, Buckaroo.” Clint explains with a nod back towards the counter where the redhead barista is still working. Clint smiles around the nickname he's come up with for Bucky and Bucky feels the butterflies in his stomach do this little flip like they're part of the circus or something. Where they would get such training is beyond him.

Clint sits down at a table near them but back from the view of the counter as he pulls out his phone. Bucky’s pretty sure it’s a common table for workers to take their breaks at judging by the fact that it wobbles and is placed just so that it gives whoever sitting there a small amount of privacy. Clint seems at ease there. He raises his hands to his head to adjust the hat he’s forced to wear for work, eyes down on his phone.

When Bucky looks away from Clint and back to Steve. Steve’s trying to do that thing where he’s trying to hold an entire conversation without actually saying anything. Bucky rolls his eyes. “Drop it, Steve.” Bucky warns but Steve doesn’t listen to him. He never does. Not once has Steve Rogers not done exactly what Steve Rogers wanted to do. Bucky considers finding a new best friend.

Steve twists in his chair, turning towards Clint and calls out to him but Clint doesn’t look up. Doesn’t even so much as move at the sound though the woman at the bar looks up. There’s a lull in customers but she’s busy at a machine anyways. Steve frowns and turns back to Bucky and Bucky is more than a little hurt at Clint’s actions. But it’s not like there’s anything going on between them other than the customer-worker thing they got going on so really he shouldn’t be feeling hurt at all. And it kinda drives his point to Steve about dropping it.

In the next moment, Clint’s coworker - he called her Nat - is standing beside Clint’s table. He doesn’t look up and Nat shakes her head before tapping him on...on the ears? Bucky is more than a little confused until Clint messes with his ears and turns his head to look up at his coworker showcasing the hearing aids in Clint’s ears. They’re a little hard to see due to the hat he has on. The one Bucky thought Clint was adjusting earlier. But he wasn’t, he had been adjusting his hearing aids.

So he wasn’t ignoring Steve. 

Natasha looms over Clint even after he’s turned on his aids. Sometimes it was nice sitting in silence especially after dealing with customers and the constant buzz of the coffee shop. The background noise was hard to filter sometimes, and even if it was just a few moments, the silence that came from turning down his hearing aids was a welcome change. 

She doesn’t say anything, “What?” Clint prompts and then she knocks her head over to Bucky and Steve. He furrows his head a little confused and it’s only when Clint looks back to her that she explains. “They called you.” Okay she didn’t really explain because Clint can tell she either knows more or at least thinks she knows more about what’s happening but she's keeping her mouth shut. He’s not going to get anything from her right now so he picks up the coffee she just gave him before making his way over to the two. “Yeah?”

Steve’s been watching the exchange just like Bucky has so he isn’t startled when Clint stops to stand beside them. Instead he leans back in his chair and looks pointedly at Bucky but Bucky’s pointedly ignoring him right back. He’s also doing his best not to look up at Clint’s face. When he was younger he had never been shy about getting dates or a little fun but after the accident that left him with only one real arm he’s been off his game. And Clint’s eyes knocks him completely off his feet every time unsettling him more than he’d like to admit.

Yeah, they’re pretty. No doubt with all the swirling hues of blue but what really gets Bucky is how expressive they are. The man’s emotions are clear as day in those orbs. In Clint’s case the eyes really are a window to the soul. It’s overwhelming for Bucky who’s spent a lot of his life shielding off his emotions to the best of his ability. 

Steve huffs a sigh and before Clint gives up in aggravations says, “I was just wondering what’s up with the names?” Never let it be say that Steve is a shy guy. At least when it comes to his friend’s happiness anyways. The hypocrite.

Clint isn’t expecting the blunt question as he stutters a little, rubbing the back of his neck in something close to embarrassment. “Oh um...well,” And then Clint seems to come to some sort of conclusion and he straightens up a little, his voice a little more confident. “Because Bucky here is an asshole and is always on his phone when he orders.” It's only after he says the words that Clint realizes he just insulted Bucky to the pair and that might be a problem. But then he decides he probably won't get fired as long as punches aren't thrown.

Steve isn't insulted though, surprised maybe judging by the fact that his eyebrows have risen to his hairline. He turns his gaze to Bucky like he's a kid in trouble and not a grown ass man. Bucky doesn't like the way Steve is judging him. Bucky turns in his chair to look up at Clint. “I didn't realize talking on the phone was a crime.”

Clint bristles and before Steve can reprimand Buck says, “It's not a crime but how about you show a little decency once in awhile?”

“I'm doing my job.” Bucky retorts.

“Tell me is your job being a jerk or is it being an asshole? Because either way you're spectacular at it.” Clint has to bite his words to keep from yelling.

Bucky stands up to his full height which isn't as tall as Clint and isn't as tall as he would be in one of his suits but still he manages not to look up at Clint. “Better job than serving coffee.” Which isn't fair, he knows, and the words for an apologize should be on his lips especially since his words seem to spark a fire of hurt in Clint’s eyes before being buried deep behind anger but before Bucky can find the words Clint is talking.

“At least I look at people when I talk to them. I didn't even know what color your eyes were until today and they would have been nice to see before because they're gorgeous - I mean, fuck that’s not important - it's just proving my point. Not them being pretty. The not know what color they were part. Oh man…” Clint’s shaking his head, dropping his own gaze as he loses steam replaced by hot embarrassment.

“What?” Bucky says because he's a little slow on the update. Then with a triumphant smirk and a rush of pleasure because he suddenly likes where this is going. Much better than when it looked like he was gonna have to apologize. “My eyes are pretty, huh?” 

When Clint doesn't say anything right away, Bucky takes a small step forward. Man, he wants to run his hands up Clint’s arms. He probably shouldn't though. At least not yet. The movement prompts Clint to look up at Bucky and it doesn't look like Bucky is upset. Actually he kinda looks smug and surprised or pleased maybe?

“Clint. A little help.” Nat doesn't yell. She never does but it's jarring regardless. Clint looks over to the register to see a line has formed and quickly steps away from Bucky both thankful and a little annoyed without a second thought leaving Bucky thinning his lips with unpleasant thoughts about coffee lines and this Nat person.

When he turns to sit back down at his table, Steve is grinning like a loon and all of Bucky’s curses are suddenly aimed at his friend. Grabbing his coffee to sip at. “Shut up, Steve.”

Bucky and Steve mull around talking and drinking coffee but Clint doesn't get a chance to return to his break. And no Steve that was not why they were waiting around. Okay, so it kinda was. Bucky doesn't have a problem admitting he'd like to continue his earlier conversation with Clint. At least now that he knows Clint likes him. Or at least he likes his eyes. Bucky can work with that.

They toss their trash, “If you don't talk to him today at least promise me you're not gonna be a jerk on Monday?” Steve asks with a grin and a laugh.

“Shut up, Steve. I wasn't being a jerk - okay I was being a jerk but it was only because I was…” And Bucky trails off hoping to save himself some dignity from actually having to say anything.

Steve isn't that kind and happily supplies, “shy? Bashful? Intimidated by his good looks and charm?” Bucky glares at him but Steve's certainly no longer affected by that like he was when they were younger. He relent though, “Okay, okay Buck. Just do me a favor and grab Tony a coffee while I run to the bathroom.”

Before Bucky can agree or comment on Steve's subtlety, the man ducks away and Bucky gets back in line fidgeting only a little.. Clint ends up taking his order and he's pretty sure that's somehow Nat’s fault. Bucky might have to revise his earlier thoughts concerning the woman. “What no phone call to take while I do my lowly job of making coffee for you?” Clint bites but it’s not as heated as it could be so Bucky counts that as a win. He still winces though because he was hoping of getting by without apologizing.

“Look man, I didn’t mean that.” Bucky says making sure to look Clint in the face this time even if it makes him second guess the confidence he has concerning the situation because Clint’s looking at him like he’s waiting for the punchline of a joke that’s going to be really offensive but he’s still listening and his eyes are this wonderful shade of blue that makes Bucky think of sweet nothings in the morning light and the sounds a blue jay makes so Bucky doesn’t call it quit yet. “I know I was being a jerk - I am a jerk so there really isn’t any helping that.”

And Clint laughs, crinkling his eyes in the process. “Yeah, okay - at least you know it. I was worried.” The apprehension gone from his face. 

“So you were just enlightening me?” Bucky asks with small tug of his lips upwards.

Clint nods, “Yeah, yeah. As long as you know it, I’m cool with it. Wouldn’t want you to change who you are for me.” And there’s something almost flirty to his words now. If nothing else it’s definitely friendly. Bucky can work with that. “By the way did you get in line just to apologize or did you actually want to order something?”

“You are cute but I actually need to get a coffee for my friend.” Bucky is glad he’s looking at Clint’s face because otherwise he might have missed the sparse coloring that springs to Clint’s cheeks. It looks good on him.

Bucky rattles off Tony’s choice of coffee. Clint bites his bottom lip for a second, “You should get something too.” Bucky’s not sure where Clint is going with it but so far their exchange has been going in the right direction so he takes Clint’s advice. Besides, coffee was always the right choice.

Clint fills the order as Steve returns to Bucky side. Steve gets one look at Bucky’s face and gets this stupid look on his face that looks like he knows just what happened. Bucky’s on the verge of telling him to shut up when Clint calls out his order. Steve’s closer than Bucky is to the counter and grabs the coffees from Clint who waves them both off, color has found it’s way back to his cheeks but Bucky doesn’t get a chance to say anything before Clint is back to work.

Maybe he’ll come back tomorrow. He doesn’t know if Clint is working tomorrow. Would it be too weird to come by tomorrow? Bucky’s weighing the risk of asking Steve for advice on the matter when Steve suddenly shoves the coffee that’s not for Tony into his hands with a smirk that's smugly says, ‘your welcome, Buck’.

Bucky would tell him off. He would but he catches sight of what Clint’s scrawled on his coffee. Gorgeous Eyes and a phone number. The insult on his tongue for Steve is swept away by the excitement. 

Natasha is doing that thing where she smiles without using her mouth when Clint turns away from watching Bucky and Steve leave the shop. “So maybe I was flirting.”


End file.
